sibley



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. E. SIBLBY.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 430,593. v: Patented June 1'7, 1890.

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(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. E. SIBLEY.

GIRGULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

1310.430593. Pate June 17, 1890.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. E. SIBLEY.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE. No. 430,593 Patented June 17, 18i90.

m: swims PETEIIE co., Pnn ru-u-mo, WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVIN E. SIBLEY, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CANFIRE HOSE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLAC CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,593, dated June 17,1890.

Application filed June 11, 1889. Serial No. 313,849. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. SIBLEY, of Chelsea, county of Suffolk,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inCircular-KnittingMachines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention is intended as an improvement upon that class ofknitting-machines shown in United States Patent No. 246,288, datedAugust 30, 1881. I11 the machine described in the patent referred to thewarp-hold- 15 ing frame was connected to a hollow-necked gear mounted torotate about a curb located below the top of the needle-cylinder, thesaid frameextendingaconsiderable distanceabove the top of theneedle-cylinder. In practice the rotation of this frame about theneedle-cylinder and between the needle-cylinder and the operator hasbeen found not only dangerous, as it rotates at high speed and is quiteheavy, but also the continued movement of the arms of the frame past theattendant affects the vision of the attendant, and hence the knitting isnot properly watched, as it should be at each course. To obviate thisdifficulty and at the same time simplify the construction of 0 themachine and render the operation of the same more steady and uniform, Ihave arranged the warp-carrying spools upon a turntable provided with aringgear, which is adapted to rotate about an open-centered 5 hearingsupported by fixed arms, the said bearing being located, however, abovethe top of the needle-cylinder, and centrally with relation to the saidbearing I have provided a warp-guide, which is arranged to direct thewarps down through the open center of the said bearing to the needles,substantially as will be described. By dispensing with the rotary frameof the machine described in the patent referred to it is possible tolead the filling-thread directly to the knitting-point, instead of upthrough the hollow from below, as in the patent referred to, theintroduction of the filling-thread into the machine described in thesaid patent requiring considerable time and the exercise of care.

above the top of the needle-cylinder, means to rotate the saidturn-table, and a warpguide arranged centrally with relation to the saidopen centered bearing to direct the warps down through the said bearingto the needles, substantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described, andpointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

I have also combined, with a circular-knitting inaehine using aknitting-thread, Warpthreads, and a filling-thread, a size-gage, whichis located at the top of the needle-cylinder and in such position withrelation to the needles and the guide which presents the filling-threadthat the said size-gage supports the warp-threads in a circle closetogether side by side at the point where the fillingthread is laid uponthem, the said size-gage being located in line with the end of theneedle-cylinder to support the warp-threads at the point where thefilling is laid against the Warp-threads, and also preventing anytendency of the filling-thread due to the tension upon it of reducingthe diameter of the tube being knitted. Preferably the said gage will betapered slightly or made smaller toward its lower end.

Figure 1 on the drawings is a partial plan of a knitting-machineembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section of aknitting-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a detail to bereferred to, it being made chiefly to show part of the turn-table, 9owarp-spools thereon, and a let'oif for the spools. Fig. 4 is an enlargeddetail of part of Fig. Fig. 5 is a' detail to be referred to, and Fig. 6is a top view or plan of the let-off device. 5

The table A the needle-cylinder e, the re ducing-collar (P, theneedle-cylinder bearing (1, the stationary bushing a, the bevel-gear C,connected to the needle-cylinder bearing (Z', the small bevel-gear C,the shaft C, the ICC take-up rolls 11, the cylindrical shell f withinwhich is placed the usualknitting-cams, the postsf to support the saidshell, the needles n, the stationary warp-throwing cam c, the warp-guide or gaging ring Zfi, down through which are extended thewarp-threads b, the spools a, carrying the warp-threads, theknitting-thread 0 extended through a hole (shown in Fig. 1) in the camc, which thus acts, also, as a guide for the said knittingthread, thespindle b, and the gear B are and may be all substantially as in thepatent referred to, wherein like devices have been marked by likeletters, and so need not be herein further described.

Herein I have shown a series of arms, as E, which are suitably bolted tothe table, the said arms thus forming the stationary part of theframe-work. These arms are herein represented as being" extendedupwardly to a point above the top of the needle-cylinder, where theyserve to support a hollow cylindrical or open-centered bearing E, whichserves as a support for the ring-gear E to which is attached the underside of the turntable E upon which are mounted,upon suitable spindles,the warp-holding spools a I have herein shown the turn-table as providedwith wheels, as h, any number of which may be used, if desired, the saidwheels, if used, running upon a suitable track, as h, mounted upon anextension h of the rigid arms E. The warp-sp0o1s a referred to as shownbest in'Figs. 2 and 3, are set upon suitable spindles 2, having uponthem loose washers 3, preferably of metal, the said washers having, asshown at the left of Fig. 3, a suitable pin,as 4, to enter a notch orhole in the spool.

The turn-table consists, essentially, of a series of radial armsextended from the gear E referred to, and a series of rings, as 5 6,which hold the said spindles and enable the warp-spools to be arrangedclose together in circles. As herein represented, the rings 5 6 havesuitably pivoted to them at 7 a series of let-offs, each let-off, asherein shown, being composed of an elbow-lever 8, having at one endupwardly-projecting lugs, as 9, provided at their upper ends withsuitable friction devices, as 10, preferably blocks of india-rubber orfelt, leather, or equivalent material. The opposite end of each lever isprovided with an car, as 12, upon which rests a rod 13, the connectionbetween the rod and ear being a loose one, so that the rod moves up anddown with the end of the lever to which it is joined. The rod 13 issurrounded above the car 12 by a spiral or other'suitable spring 14, theupper end of which is shown as coming against the ring 6, into a hole inwhich the upper end of the rod 13 enters, the construction being suchthat the spring acting upon the let-off normally keeps itsfriction-surfaces pressed against a friction disk or washer 3; but thisfriction is released at intervals by the said let-offs coming in contactwith a stop,

as 15, fixed to the track it, thus permitting the warp-spools to turnand give off warp during the rotation of the turn-table. I have shownthe turn-table as provided at intervals with small blocks, as 71 whichare attached by screws 16 to a cross-piece 17, attached by screws 18 tothe under sides of the rings 5 G. The said blocks 7L receive within themcarriages h, which support the axles of antifriction Wheels h, which runupon the track h, and I have shown (see Fig. 5) a rubber block, as its,interposed between the carriage and the cross-bar 17, a screw 71,9keeping the block in place, the said block lessening the jar of therolls traveling on the track. The turn-table referred to has erectedupon it stands m, which support a series of rings, as m m m and thewarp-threads b, on their way from the warp-spools, pass under the ringm, over the ringm thence down through an eye 20 of a dead-weight 21, andthence up over the ring m and down through the warp guide or gaging-ringt to the needles.

To prevent lateral swaying of the deadweights 2 1, which hang upon thewarp-th reads, so that their tension as they go to the needles isuniform, as provided for in United States Patent- No. 386,273, issued tome on the 17th day of July, 1888, I have erected upon the turn-table aseries of guides, as 22, between which the said weights are placed totravel up and down.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the spaceabout the needlecylinder and where the knitting is taking place isentirely free to be inspected by the attendant, and such space is notoccupied by the warp-carrying frames, as in the patent referred to.Elevating the turn-table and the ring E and its circular hollow bearingabove the top of the needle-cylinder makes it possible to locate thespool or bobbin 1!, containing the filling-thread 25, upon a stationarypart of the frame, as E, and take the same in a substantially horizontalline to the thread-guide 24, over which the filling-thread passes on itsway to the warp thread with which it is to be associated. In practicethis filling-thread will be subjected to the action of 'a proper tensiondevice.

The lower end of the stationary rod b is provided at the top of theneedle-cylinder with a size-gage, it being located in a line with theguide, about which the filling passes on its way to be laid against thewarps and back of the knitting-needles, as in the patents referred to.gage to the rod referred to and its location, as described, enables thesize-gage to occupy a position in the tube being knitted just at thepoint where the filling-thread is being laid into the tube. Thissize-gage acts to keep the interior of the tube at the desired diameterand prevent the filling-thread, by reason of tension thereon, fromcontracting the diameter of the tube being knitted. Lower down upon thesaid rod b there is attached The addition of this size-.

arfriction-wheel p, which in function and oper, ation is substantiallythe same as that indicated by like letter in the patent, No. 246,288,referred to. Hereinthe shaft N, to the lower end of which is secured thepinion B referred to, is extended up through suitable bearings, as B and13*, to a point opposite the gear E where it is provided with a toothedgear 13, which engages and rotates the gear IE attached to the turntable and before described.

In the patent, No. 386,273, referred to,where; in the warp-threads aresubjected to the action of a cleadwveight, the devices carrying thewarp-spools were stationary, and the (leadweights had only a verticalmovement; but herein the warp-threads rotate with the needle-cylinder,in Patent No. 246,288, and hence to enable me to use the dead-weights,which are of great advantage in the production ,of strong hose, I havehad to provide the turn-table with the weight-guides, in order that theymay not sway or swing laterally against each othcrin the rotation of theturntable.

I have shown the frame-work as provided with the track, and theturn-table as provided with wheels to run on the track; but the saidtrack and wheels may be omitted, if desired, but when the weights areused it is preferred to retain the track and wheels on the turntable.

Prior to my invention I am also aware that arms connected to the outerside of a camcylinder have been extended upwardly outside of aneedle-cylinder to a considerable distance above the upper ends of theneedles, and that the said arms have served as supports for a hub, whichhub at a point below the upper ends of the said supports has receivedupon it a gear, which, supports a series of bobbins carryingwarp-threads, the said warp-threads being carried upwardly over and thendown over a series of wires, and being led through a series of holesmade in the said gear, the said warp-threads being passed entirelyoutside of the hub supporting the said gear. In a machine of the classreferred to, should woolen threads be used to make a woolen fabric,which is scoured after knitting, the oil which comes upon thewarpthreads (for in practice the said gear must be oiled in order torotate on the hub) would not do harm; but when weaving hose composed ofcotton, which is usually white or light brown, any oil upon thewarp-threads not only destroys the salability of the hose, but alsopasses from the cotton to the rubber of the hose, thus rotting therubber. In my invention the warp-threads are passed down through theopen-centered bearing on which the gear carrying the turntable rotates,and it is impossible for the warp to come in contact wit-h any oil; butin a knitting-machine wherein the hub is supported by arms extendedupwardly outside of the turn-table and then down through it it would beimpossible to pass the warp-threads through the center ofthe hub,because of the obstruction which they would meet in the shape of thesupports for the hub.

I claim- I. A knitting-machine containing the following in strulnentalities, viz: a cam-cylinder, a needle-cylinder, a series ofneedles, a turntable to carry a series of warp-threads, a ringgearconnected to the center of the said turntable, an open-centered bearingfor the said ring located above the top of the needle-cylinder, means torotate the said turn-table, and a warp-guide arranged centrally withrelation to the said open-centered bearing to direct the warps downthrough the open center of the said-bearing to the needles,substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a cam-cylinder, a needle-cylinder, a series ofneedles, a turn table to carry a series of warp-threads, and a"ring-gear attached to the center of the said turn-table, of a bearingfor the said ring-gear located above the top of the needle-cylinder andhaving an open center for the passage of the warp-threads, a war guide,means to ro tate the said turn-table, and stationary supports E for thesaid bearing, substantially as described.

3. The cam-cylinder, the needle-cylinder, a series of needles, aturn-table to carry a series of warp-threads, a ring connected to thecen ter of the said turn-table, an open-centered bearing for the saidring located above the top of the needlecylinder, means to rotate thesaid turn-table, and a warp-guide arranged centrally with relation tothe opencentered bearing to direct the warps down through the opencenter of the said bearing to the needles, combined with warp-tensionmechanism car ried by the said turn-table, to operate substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with the needle-cylinder, cam-cylinder, a series ofneedles, and a turntable adapted to carry a series of warpspools, andmeans to support and rotate the said turn-table, of a series of guidesmounted upon the said turn table and a series of weights co-operatingwith the said guides and acting upon the warp-threads, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a knitting-machine, the folllowing instrum entalities, viz: acam-cylinder, a n eedlecylinder, a series of needles therein, .aturntable to carry a series of warp-threads, aring attached to thecenter of the said turn-table, an open-centered bearing for the saidring located above the top of the needle-cylinder, means to rotate thesaid turn-table, and a warp-guide arranged centrally with relation tothe said open-centered bearing to direct the warps down through the opencenter of the said bearing to the needles, of a guide for afilling-thread, asize-gage, and means to support it, the said size-gagebeing located in line with the end of the needle-cylinder to therebysupport the warp-threads at the point where the filling is laid againstthe Warp-threads, them intermittingly to release for an instant 10 tooperate substantially as shown and dethe Warp-spool, substantially asdescribed. scribed. In testimony whereof I have signed my 6. Theknitting-machine cylinder, the camname to this specification in thepresence of cylinder; a series of needles, a turn-table two subscribingWitnesses.

adapted to carry a series of warp-spools con- ED\VIN E. SIBLEY. rainingWarp-threads, and tension mechanism \Vitnesses:

for the said Warp-threads, combined with a 1E0. \V. GREGORY,

series of let-off devices and means to actuate B. DEWAR.

